


Icarus Reborn

by starisbe348



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-06-02 23:30:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19451728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starisbe348/pseuds/starisbe348
Summary: After his father's passing, Will Riker finds himself leaving the Enterprise to journey back to Earth. A short stay on Deep Space Nine does more harm than good.





	1. Chapter 1

There was something not quite right that morning. Usually, mornings for Will Riker were fast paced, bustling figures darting around him, never sitting still, his seat digging uncomfortably into his back. Deanna would accompany him midday to Ten Forward, where she’d eat something sweet, sugary and he something plain and ‘boring’. He had to get back to the bridge, they both did, but she always acted as if she had all the time in the world. In a way, he hated it, because he was punctual to a fault, but he remembered it being one his favourite things about her when they were together. She made him feel as if he was the only thing that mattered, as if moments together transcended time itself.  
Now they were no longer together, things had changed, a wall had been built between them. His hand sometimes itched to snake its way into hers from across the table, or to peck her lightly on the cheek before he left. It was hard to refrain, sometimes.  
But that morning was different: It was slow, and when Deanna turned to him at midday, she didn’t smile. She stared at him, her face unreadable. He had always envied her ability to read emotions, it gave her an unfair advantage. She knew too much, there was no keeping anything from her.  
‘What’s wrong?’ Will reached over, almost touching her hand before she pulled it away from him slowly.  
‘Nothing,’ she started to fuss with her sleeve. ‘I just know you’re going to ask me to have lunch with you, and I know I have to disappoint you.’  
‘Do you have a meeting?’  
This was a ritual, a sacred one. Will could eat with someone else, he supposed. He wouldn’t even mind sitting alone, he liked the quiet. But he didn’t want to this routine to change. Routine got you up early, to your post, it made you work hard, it wasn’t something to simply throw away.  
‘Yes. Well, no. A personal meeting, you could say.’  
Ah. Will knew instantly what she was referring to. A date. One of the ambassadors of Cerallion 9 sprung instantly to mind. He was young, reasonably attractive you could say, and had been hanging around Deanna rather a lot recently. For once, he seemed to know what she meant without her speaking.  
‘I see. It’s fine, you go.’  
‘You don’t mind?’  
‘Deanna, it’s just lunch.’  
Deanna smiled, the warmth spreading to her eyes, eyes that William could gaze into and forget where he was. They were black holes, and he was falling through them again and again.  
When Picard gave them the nod, their cue to leave, Deanna rushed off before Will could follow. She ran a hand through her hand and adjusted her uniform, preening herself for the ambassador, presumably. Will chewed the insides of his cheek, not realising how long he stood watching the doors until a hand touched his shoulder.  
‘I’d like to meet you in fifteen minutes in my reading room, if that’s alright Number One.’ The voice of Captain Picard was smooth in his ear, his tone suggesting he’d seen, and understood, too much of the exchange between him and Deanna.  
‘Aye, Captain.’ Will’s own voice was stoic, hard.

Will knocked on the door, having quickly scoffed down lunch in his quarters, hesitant to run into people and become distracted in Ten Forward. The Captain ushered him inside with a short ‘Come in.’ Will had been expecting him to have just put down a book, but instead he sat very still with his hands folded neatly in front of him on the table.  
‘I’m afraid I have to be the bearer of very unfortunate news today, Will.’ It wasn’t often Picard used his first name, but given the context, it could have only been to soften the oncoming blow. Will braced himself, not quite sure what to expect. He ran through all the possible mistakes he could have made recently in his head. Surely, he was being transferred, or demoted. What would be worse? Never seeing Deanna, or a harsh blow to his career? It was his career in the first place that had driven them apart.  
‘Have I done something wrong, Captain?’  
‘No, of course not. That’s not the case at all.’ Picard smiled at him, looking at him in a way which made Will uncomfortable. Pity. He hated it, it made him feel weak.  
‘Then what is it?’ He was anxious now, impatient. His nails dug into the soft flesh of his hands as he made fists. Picard’s voice was soft.  
‘It’s your father, Will. He’s…dead.’  
Will felt the skin of his hands tear and bleed as his nails ripped the skin. His father was an obscure sort of object to him, both incredibly distant yet always close in his thoughts. The kind of man his father was simultaneously inspired but disgusted him. His death was confusing, as Will would be expected to mourn, but inside him, somewhere, was relief; no more forced, brief visits, with scarce conversation or evident one-upping.  
‘Will?’ I’m dreadfully sorry.’  
‘How did it happen?’  
Will knew his father wasn’t ill, he would’ve told him. This was an accident of some sort, or worse, it was purposeful. He was high ranking, a target,  
‘He passed in his sleep. It’s believed he suffered from an undetected illness. He may have experienced some symptoms beforehand, but he didn’t seek help. He was down on Turgura, not far from here.’  
‘Right.’ Will nodded. ‘What about the funeral arrangements? I suspect he’d want to be back on Earth, with my mother.’ He thought of his childhood in Alaska, and the grave at the very edge of the wood surrounding their home-his mother’s final resting place.  
‘His body is being transported there after all the necessary checks. They want to try and pinpoint his cause of death first. However, I suggest it would be wise to start preparing for travel soon.’  
‘Travel?’  
‘Yes, I assumed you’d want to attend the burial. Don’t worry about time off, Will, take as much time as you need, I understand.’  
‘I don’t need any more time off than the journey there and back. I’ll take a shuttle to the next space station then try and find my way there, it should only take a couple of weeks.’  
‘Are you sure? I know we’re lucky to be quite close, but I really don’t want to rush you, Will. Time off is necessary.’  
‘Work will take my mind off things.’  
‘Maybe you should discuss this with Counsellor Troi first.’  
Will’s stomach dropped. Seeing her would only make things worse. Six years ago, his father had told him to ‘marry that girl’. But he never did.  
‘I will, thank you Captain.’  
He rose to leave, Picard giving him a solemn nod as he left.

Two weeks later, Will was in a shuttle, midway through the Orion region, an area that was famed for crashes and other commotions. Will could’ve sworn a few hours ago that he saw a Romulan ship uncloak and speed off into the distance. He was almost certain, in fact, but the lack of sleep did make him wonder. He’d stayed up for almost twenty-four hours twice in a week. It was a poor decision, he knew, and arguably dangerous, but sleep refused to come. Tiredness came in waves, but always at the wrong time. There would be a rogue asteroid he had to manoeuvre around, or a check in call from Deanna. She hadn’t left him alone.  
‘I’m certain your counselling duties extend solely to the parameters of the Enterprise, Deanna,’ Will had said to her that morning. She had called in to see if he had slept well. As soon as the video came on, she shook her head. It was showing.  
‘My duty to you as a friend counts as well. I’m concerned, Will, so is the Captain.’  
‘The Captain?’ Why did she have to bring Picard into this? He was off duty.  
‘Yes, the Captain, Will. He knew you weren’t well the minute he told you about your father. You refused to speak to anyone, even me.’  
‘I’m in mourning, Deanna.’ Will reminded her. She narrowed her eyes.  
‘Will, I know your relationship with your father was strained at best. There’s something else. You’re using this opportunity as an excuse to completely fall apart. It’s ok to mourn, it’s healthy, but the Will I know is not self-destructive, in mourning or otherwise.’  
Will rolled his eyes, forgetting she could see him just as well as if she was sat in front of him. He ran a hand through his unkept beard, wondering when the itch would stop and she would go away. He had never wanted her to leave before, her presence always being a blessing, but the thought of her having some sort of ‘free reign’ with the ambassador now he was gone made him feel ill.  
‘You’re over-analysing the situation. You don’t know what it’s like out here, it’s hard to sleep.’  
‘You have auto-pilot, Will.’  
The conversation continued as such for ten more minutes. Will’s beard, still not feeling fully itched, continued to annoy him. Shaving it off, however, was not an option; it had become a source of comfort for him for years now, making his ‘baby face’ somehow age twenty years. Plus, authority came easy with it.  
That night, he knew he wouldn’t sleep. Deanna’s hair had looked suspiciously untidy when she called, as if she’d just got out of bed. Maybe she was there with him. Will was going insane. He wasn’t in love with her anymore, he was sure of that. It had ended years ago, he’d moved on, even been with other women. But every so often when a new him appeared, it would come back, in a way. Will saw what he had lost and hated himself for it.  
He lay in bed for hours, thinking of what he considered the best times of his life, with her. Somehow, the thoughts drew him further back, to years before he had met her, when he hadn’t even left Earth, to Alaska. His father chopping up wood for the fire, always in full view of the neighbours. His mother would cook everything by hand, even though they had replicators then. There was some idealism, he knew, because he also remembered feeling incredibly uncomfortable down on Earth. Staring up at the stars, as stereotypical as it was, was his favourite hobby. It was different when you knew each star in the sky was a world entirely different from his own, full of life left to discover.  
After a while, he knew sleep was not going to come. In fact, he knew it was impossible, so he got up, turned off autopilot, and took control of the shuttle. His two day long stay at Deep Space Nine would be insufferable; he hated not being in control of the vessel he was on, in any way. His only ‘job’ as such to was sit, walk around, and wait for a shuttle to arrive for him. Now at least he was in control, although it hardly felt like it when his head, betraying him, would conjure images of Deanna at alarming pace. There was no other woman he would ever know in such impenetrable depth, he was sure of it.  
Eventually, the lights of the computer began to flicker, Will felt his finger start to slide off the buttons. His head was nodding, just like it always did after double duty. At least then all he had to do was slide under the covers of his bed and let sleep take him. He would dim the lights just slightly, filling his quarters with a soft yellow glow. When he woke, the lights welcomed him and he could pretend he was waking up to another day on Risa, or Betazed and not the lonely confines of endless space.


	2. 2.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The consequences of Will's black-out prove to be disastrous for his current mission, and possibly his health.

Will’s stomach was churning, vomit crawling up his throat and then back down again as his body was flung about the shuttle. A sharp blow to the side had woken him suddenly and, feeling something pierce skin, he cried out. The shuttle itself was dark, but Will managed to steady himself in a brief moment of balance and grab the desk. He swore under his breath as he felt for the emergency button, hoping the Enterprise was still in range for a voice transmission. Slamming his hand down on the button, he listened for the familiar warning alarm to sound.  
Silence.  
Every shallow breath he took was deafening in the strange quiet. Something had obviously gone wrong, but what? Everything had been fine, he was on track to reach the next solar system in less than eight hours, he’d just been on call to Deanna…ah. Suddenly it came to him. He’d fallen asleep, stupidly, on duty. From what he could deduce, he had rested his head on the control board and crashed into something he really should’ve swerved around.   
Deanna’s warning about his lack of sleep echoed in his memory, as if the empath had somehow placed it there herself. Though, the warning was useless now; here he was, stranded on a damaged ship in what looked like the middle of nowhere. Undoubtedly, he was off course, he’d never seen an area of space so unfamiliar. Even the stars looked odd, out of place.   
‘Brilliant,’ he muttered to himself, then winced as pain shot through his side. He had almost forgotten about his injury. Slightly hesitant, he glanced down.   
Of all things, a shattered piece of his smashed coffee cup was lodged in his side. Blood still seeped out of the wound, soaking the uniform he had refused to take off. He knew there was a medikit on board, somewhere in the back, however, that would require moving, and he knew he was too weak. Even the room was starting to spin, his breathing becoming increasingly difficult with each breath. But his medical knowledge extended only so far, the one thing he knew for sure was that pulling out the shard was a terrible idea.   
And so the darkness came again, the ruined contents of the shuttle dancing around him in the remaining dregs of light. 

There was sound, suddenly. Eruptions in his ears.  
‘…he’s stable, for now. But we need to transport him immediately.’  
‘What we need is to get out of the Gamma Quadrant, if anyone detects us…’  
Then light. Will opened his eyes. Two others stared back at him.   
‘Dax! He’s woken up, tell Major Kira we need to transport him now.’  
‘On it. Put him under for the journey back. This is too difficult to explain now.’  
Darkness.

‘Commander?’   
This time, they let him keep his eyes open. The same pair of eyes stared at back at him, deep brown and attached to a young man. When he blinked, the darkness returned, and he shuddered.  
‘Ah, you’re awake. There’ll be slight pain when you sit, but you should be fine. The shard missed anything important, you’re lucky, the crash seemed quite horrific, but then again…’  
‘I think that’s enough, Doctor. Let the man get used to his surroundings.’  
Will glimpsed another man, this one more serious, older. He wore a captain’s uniform and he looked vaguely familiar. Most likely the man had visited the Enterprise at one point, or he had seen him at some meeting or other.   
‘Commander Riker,’ the man said, slowly, tentatively. ‘I’m Benjamin Sisko, the Commanding Officer of Deep Station 9 and the Captain of the Defiant. Can you hear me?’  
Will nodded. It was surprisingly painless.   
‘Excellent,’ Sisko smiled. ‘Do you think you can speak?’  
‘He’s perfectly capable of speech, I believe. However, he is in shock.’ The young man who spoke wore a doctor’s blue uniform, not unlike Dr Crusher’s back on the Enterprise. The Commander, or rather Captain, looked at the young man again, as if to chastise him.  
Will cleared his throat. ‘I…I can speak.’  
Sisko nodded. ‘Do you have any idea what happened? The crash?’  
‘I think I…’ Will was almost too embarrassed to say. ‘I blacked out, I was exhausted. I believe I lost control of the ship.’   
The Captain sat down in the chair beside him, fiddling with his hands for a moment before speaking. ‘Commander, I assume you’re aware of the Gamma Quadrant?’   
‘The one that was discovered a couple of years ago? We were informed that you could gain access to the area through a wormhole, near Bajor.’  
‘That’s the one. Commander, your runabout actually went through the wormhole whilst you lost control of the ship. Luckily, we monitor every passage through the wormhole, but you were going at too high a speed for us to stop you before you went through.’   
Will hardly believed it. How had he managed to sleep through that? Maybe something had hit his head during the crash, but surely then he’d have an injury.   
‘I’m sure you’re aware of the recent Dominion threat as well,’ Sisko continued. ‘Thankfully you were only in the area a small amount of time, but we believe your presence, and the team’s we sent out, still alerted the Jem Ha’dar. At the moment, the station is on high alert.’  
Should I apologise? Will wondered. Technically, this is all my fault. Picard won’t be pleased.  
‘Have you told the Enterprise? I was on shore leave, but I was still keeping in touch.’ Will thought of Deanna, who must have tried to contact him a few hundred times by now. Imagining her worried, or scared made him feel more guilty than the ruckus he had caused here.   
‘Yes, Captain Picard was very…concerned. Especially regarding your injuries. You were on route to Earth? That’s still a long way away.’  
Will sighed. ‘Yes. I suppose this injury you’re going to tell me about next is going to delay me a little.’  
The Captain laughed, a deep, pleasant sound that made the situation slightly warmer. The doctor, who was still fiddling about with a machine, looked up and smiled.  
‘You don’t miss a trick, Commander,’ said the Captain. ‘Doctor Bashir was just going to inform you another slight… mishap.’   
‘Mishap,’ Will rolled his eyes, but grinned. ‘How long is this going to set me back?’  
Doctor Bashir moved around to the side of the bed. ‘The wound in your side was easy to fix,’ he said. ‘But unfortunately, that wasn’t the only problem.’   
‘Oh?’  
‘The shuttle appears to have crashed during the transportation through the wormhole, meaning the damage allowed a small, but significant, dose of harmful radiation to enter your bloodstream through your wound. The radiation is slightly, ah, unfamiliar…’   
‘Meaning you don’t know how to treat it,’ Will interrupted.  
‘No’ the doctor said quickly. ‘I have an inkling, I’m currently working on a treatment as we speak. As your wound is healed, you’ll be able to walk and otherwise function as normal, but until we find a treatment for this radiation your condition will begin to deteriorate.’  
‘Ah,’ Will frowned. ‘That sounds like a long delay.’  
‘A few weeks, if we’re lucky. In the meantime, I’ll continue to monitor your condition. The effects of the radiation will be more than bearable, have no fear.’  
‘Doctor Bashir is an excellent medical officer,’ Sisko reassured him. ‘He’s never failed to impress us before, you’re in safe hands.’   
Nodding, Will attempted to stand, but found his feet unsteady. He shot Doctor Bashir a confused look. ‘I thought I was fine?’  
‘You are,’ the doctor replied. ‘But that doesn’t mean the shock has worn off. I’d advise a good night’s rest first.’   
‘I can see you’re a man not used to a setback,’ Sisko said, rising. ‘I’ll come see you in the morning, hopefully we can this make situation work for you.’   
That night, Will stared at the ceiling of the station’s sick bay, unable to sleep. By the time he had gotten to Earth, his father’s funeral would be over, the man would be buried six feet under. With no funeral, all that was left to do on Earth was to empty his old home, which they still owned after all these years, and deal with his estate. He wondered what exactly his father had left him, if anything. Obviously, there would be no money left, but his father had owned far too many antiques throughout his life. What he would do with those was an entirely different problem…  
Deanna.  
No. Will scolded himself. It wasn’t unusual for Deanna to pop into his mind, especially at night, mid-thought. But that meant he would spend the next hour or so worrying about her, the ambassador, whatever it was at that moment. Then again, he could never really push the damned woman entirely out of his mind.   
When morning came, his eyes were red with lack of sleep, rimmed with the remnants of memories that refused to fade.


	3. Chapter 3

‘Not a morning man, Commander?’  
The bright beams of sick bay had flashed suddenly that morning. Will gasped in pain as the light his eyes. Doctor Bashir, surprisingly cheerful for such an early hour, welcomed Will with a smile.   
‘Usually,’ Will grumbled, sitting up and shielding his eyes. ‘The lights are too damned bright in here.’   
‘I apologise,’ said Bashir, scanning Will with his tricorder. The scan seemed to have come back clear, and he nodded to himself. ‘Luckily, you’ll be out of sickbay today.’  
‘Excellent.’ Will was looking forward to his own quarters, away from the constant surveillance of doctors and nurses that would come and check on him. If he was going to stay at the station for a while, he would need his own space. Then, he supposed, he would need something to do. But his injury, which would gradually deteriorate, would probably prohibit him from doing anything meaningful on the station.   
‘The captain has requested a meeting with you today, after we assign your quarters,’ Doctor Bashir continued, helping Will to his feet. ‘He wants you to meet the crew. I believe they’re all looking forward to it.’   
‘Really?’ Will ran a hand down the gown they had gave him to wear, wondering when he could change back into uniform, if he would be able to at all. ‘Will I be working with them?’   
‘As it happens, that’s the subject of your meeting,’ Bashir flashed him another smile, this one slightly mischievous.   
After a quick medical exam, Doctor Bashir temporarily discharged Will, but claimed that he would have to return to sickbay daily for check-ups. ‘I know it’s a pain,’ the doctor said, ‘but it’s necessary. The radiation could turn deadly.’  
Later, when the captain arrived, Will was given a change of clothes, but to his dismay, no uniform. The clothes were regular civilian attire, a plain tan shirt and pants with a black belt to hold them up. The belt wasn’t entirely necessary, however, the clothes were ill fitting, worn by someone a good few inches shorter and thinner.   
When he was led to his new quarters, even they seemed ill fitting; the harsh, ridged edges unsettled him, they differed too much from the smooth textures of the Enterprise.   
‘I hope these quarters are suitable, Commander,’ Captain Sisko had said, looking as if he knew the opposite to be true. ‘I know they’re a lot different to Starfleet quarters.’  
‘They’re perfectly fine,’ Will lied. ‘I find Cardassian architecture very…interesting, actually.’  
The Captain raised an eyebrow and smirked. ‘You should settle in well. I’ll leave you for an hour or so to rest, then I’ll be back to take you to your meeting with the crew.’   
Will nodded. After Sisko had left, he made his way over to the bed, finding himself sinking into unexpectedly soft mattress. On the Enterprise, he used to toss and turn for hours before he fell asleep. Thoughts of the past would cloud his mind constantly, his brain impossible to calm. Most of the time, he took the night shifts.  
But here it was different. The past was too far away, Deanna’s quarters too far to be tempted to visit. Sometimes, he convinced himself he could hear her entertaining visitors from his quarters…but not here.   
Moments later, sleep found him.

‘Incoming message alert.’   
Will’s eyes shot open.   
BEEP. BEEP.  
‘Incoming message alert for Commander William Riker.’   
Has it been an hour already? Will thought. I thought Sisko was coming here. Stumbling, he got up and dragged his feet towards the screen displaying the alert.   
‘Accept,’ he coughed, his throat rough from sleep.  
‘Will? Can you hear me?’ The frantic voice of Deanna Troi rang through the speakers, her face lit up the screen.  
‘Deanna? Yes, I can hear you.’ Will wanted to touch the screen, to stroke her face and run his fingers through her dark curls. She had always loved it when he did that, she would fall asleep in minutes.   
‘Oh Will…I was so scared. I still am, the Captain says you’ve been affected by some sort of radiation. You went through a wormhole.’   
Will dragged a hand through his scruff of a beard, making a mental note to shave in the morning. ‘I know, Deanna.’   
‘And you’re not alarmed? How could it have happened so easily? The Captain was terrified for you, neither of us thinks this was an accident.’  
‘I’m fine, the doctor here has it all under control.’   
Deanna frowned, the small wrinkle that formed between her brows looked as if it had been a frequent accessory. ‘You’re strangely calm about the situation. I have a feeling missing your father’s funeral has something to do with it.’  
‘It doesn’t,’ Will said quickly. ‘I still have to go back.’   
‘Maybe it would be best if you came back to the station as soon as it was safe, I’m not sure you should be journeying to Earth alone.’   
‘I’m not a child,’ Will knew Deanna had a habit of mothering him sometimes. Even when they were together, she would smooth his hair or shirt, lecture him on working long shifts and late nights.   
The door made a noise. It was unfamiliar, not the sound of someone at his door on the Enterprise. It was Captain Sisko.  
‘I’m sorry Deanna, I have to go,’ Will said, secretly relieved. ‘The Captain is here, I have a meeting.’ He flicked the monitor off. ‘Come in!’ He called to the Captain.  
Captain Sisko entered the room, clutching a coffee mug. He took a sip and smiled. ‘Have you gotten used to your quarters yet? I know it can take some time.’   
‘More or less,’ said Will. ‘The bed is comfortable.’   
‘Excellent. Are you ready?’   
Will nodded, making his way towards the door.


	4. Chapter 4

The meeting room was decorated in similar Cardassian fashion; high, smooth polished chairs and tables with sharp, angular corners. Those type of seats always made his back ache, he yearned for the cushioned seats of the Enterprise, for Deanna to be seated beside him instead of strangers.  
‘This is Lieutenant Dax,’ Sisko told him as he was seated, introducing the dark haired woman beside him. Will vaguely recognised the name, wondering if the woman had a relative in Starfleet. It wasn’t until he glimpsed the spots on her skin that he realised the truth. This woman was a Trill, and most likely a joined one. This was the same Lieutenant Dax, just in their next host.  
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ the lieutenant grinned, holding out her hand. ‘I’ve heard brilliant things about you, Commander.’   
‘Thank you,’ Will replied, feeling all eyes in the room on him. It had been the same when he walked in the room, but now they could hear him too, and they hung onto every word. ‘It’s…wonderful to meet you all too.’   
‘Don’t sound too pleased,’ the short haired Bajoran woman interrupted from across the table. Her voice was high, and grated Will’s ears. ‘We’re here to judge you, aren’t we?’  
‘Correct,’ said Sisko, taking a seat. ‘Commander, this is Major Kira, the Bajoran commander of the station. And, I hear you’re familiar with Chief O’Brien here?’   
‘I am,’ Will nodded at Miles O’ Brien, who was seated next to Major Kira. He was glad to see the Enterprise’s previous transporter chief in a more prominent role. The man deserved it. ‘The Enterprise has been lost without you, Miles,’ he grinned at him.   
‘I’ve heard my replacement could give me a run for my money,’ O’Brien replied in his lilted Irish accent. Will could feel himself start to relax, seeing a familiar face had somehow made the whole situation better.   
‘Not at all,’ Will said, about to continue, but stopping suddenly when he realised all eyes were on him again. For a moment, he had forgotten the purpose of this meeting. But there was no mistaking the slightly curious, pitiful glances.   
‘So,’ Sisko began after a moment’s silence, turning to Doctor Bashir. ‘I assume you have Commander Riker’s most recent medical evaluations?’   
‘I do,’ the doctor replied, swiping on the pad in front of him. ‘The Commander is showing improvement when it comes to his most recent injuries, and his physical and mental condition has not started to deteriorate as of yet. However, his bloodstream is still heavily concentrated with the radiation, though it is dormant.’   
‘Thank you, doctor.’ Sisko gazed around the table. ‘I also believe everyone here is aware of the potential dangers of this radiation, and what this could mean for Commander Riker if a treatment is not found.’  
Everyone nodded.  
‘I’m still analysing the radiation in the lab,’ Dax added. ‘So far, it seems to be quite…impenetrable to testing. How it affects the Commander is, well, unknowable. Though, it does appear to be isolated.’  
‘Thank you, Dax.’ Sisko turned to Will. ‘Now, Commander, as your shore leave expires in a few days, you can be accepted as a temporary transfer officer. However, this is only under the condition you stay fit for work.’  
‘I understand,’ said Will. ‘I don’t want to be a patient, if I can assist the station, I want to in any way I can.’ Anything to keep my mind off Deanna.  
‘Well,’ Bashir coughed up in his slightly awkward and hesitant tone. Will could tell that he intimidated him. ‘There is a possibility that mental or physical pressure could worsen your condition.’   
Does it matter? I’m dying anyway, clearly. Will almost voiced his thoughts, but thought better of it. There was no need for such pessimism in front of the whole crew. But before he could reply, Major Kira spoke up.  
‘I think the Commander could be incredibly useful on the station,’ she said. ‘Now we have the Dominion threat, we could use any help we can get. Hell knows we need it.’ Kira turned to Will. ‘I assume you know about the Dominion?’  
Slightly irritated that the Major could question it, Will frowned before answering. ‘Of course,’ he said smoothly.   
The Dominion had been a growing threat for a few months now. Captain Picard himself had had a meeting with Admiral Whiton regarding the threat, which Will had been able to sit in. The admiral was positive that the Dominion would be quickly suppressed by their forces, and the Enterprise had no need to involve themselves. There were more important matters, like the Borg for instance. But reports from the Alpha Quadrant had started to become more sinister, Will wasn’t surprised they wanted help.  
‘I just thought even if you can’t be on duty, you can still help us strategically. Then again, the whole station is the front line.’ the Major continued. ‘And Bajor, as if we haven’t been through enough.’   
The Cardassian occupation, Will remembered. The Bajorans had only just been free of Cardassian rule a couple of years ago. Not long after, the wormhole had been discovered, which would have been nothing more than a scientific breakthrough if the aliens there hadn’t turned on them.   
‘I’d be more than willing to help,’ said Will. ‘I can be on front line duty, I’ve done it before, injured and healthy. My strategy is at its best under pressure.’  
‘Not so fast, Commander,’ Bashir interjected with a nervous laugh. ‘We don’t want to risk any-’  
‘Further injury… pressure…I get it,’ Will interrupted unsteadily. ‘But there’s no need to-to…’   
…He was tired of the doctor’s precautions. He was the First Officer of Starfleet’s flagship, and who was this man? A doctor? On a space station in the middle of nowhere…  
‘Commander? Is everything all right?  
‘Yes.’ Will took a deep breath. His mind had been prone to such outbursts before, but recently he had been far too close to actually voicing them. He dreaded to think what the crew would think of him then. Most likely he’d be written off as delirious. ‘I’m fine.’   
‘If you don’t feel well enough, we can postpone this meeting,’ Sisko offered.  
‘No,’ Will’s voice hardened. ‘I want to help. Can we settle this now?’   
‘He does seem able,’ Kira shrugged. ‘I say we let him. Limited duty. For now.’  
‘Does everyone agree?’ Sisko turned to the crew. Will glanced around at them nervously, feeling like he was on trial, and his sentence was about to be passed.  
‘Limited duty must mean limited,’ the doctor said. ‘That means no night shifts, no shifts over four hours. Breaks every hour, and still regular checks by me, of course.’  
Sisko nodded. ‘I agree. Maybe you could oversee the Commander, Major?’   
‘Me?’ Major Kira looked shocked, if not a little horrified. Will wondered what could possibly be so bad about overseeing him, she was the one with the insufferable voice, and the confidence of an admiral, not a major.   
‘Yes, is that a problem?’ Sisko raised an eyebrow. Kira blushed slightly. Will was surprised to see such a woman feel embarrassment.   
‘No,’ she said. ‘Of course not. I’d be honoured.’   
‘That settles it then. Commander, you’re on first duty tomorrow. Major Kira will be at your quarters at 7am sharp.’


End file.
